Water, Wind, and Time

 

Sunday, March 10, 2013
Women's Art: A Conversation with Elizabeth Ostrander and Shanna Wheelock
3:00 p.m.at the Eastport Arts Center
36 Washington Street, Eastport, Maine
Click here for Shanna Wheelock's website.
Click here Elizabeth Ostrander's website
Click here for the Eastport Art Center website.


Thursday, March 21, 2013
Machias Women's Forum
5:30-8:00 p.m.
Helen's Restaurant, Machias, ME
Presenters: Shanna Wheelock, Elizabeth Ostrander, and Sherry Ashby Cunningham
Topic: How Spirituality informs and inspires our artwork
Save the date and check back for more info.


 Click here for a recent article about the marathon and my artwork in the Bangor Daily News

Check out Maine artist Kenny Cole's blog about his current project "Parabellum".
Chris is collaborating on part of the project. Very cool!
 

 

Factory C (or Columbian Canning Plant?) Located behind the old Columbian Store , Lubec, Maine

I have been photographing these ruins for a current art project.

Click here to see photo of what it once looked like.

 

Another shot of the factory ruins.

 

 

I collected bricks from the American Can Factory site, North Lubec, and am experimenting with pulverizing the fragments and embedding the dust into clay.

 

 

Just a few days after winter storm NEMO, our big boy Bello Shroom was outside enjoying the sunny day melt-off.

 

 

I found a recipe that clued me in on how to fry tofu perfectly. No batter involved - just straight up tofu and sesame seeds in olive oil. It is so yummy that we have eaten a version of this three times in the past four or five days.

 

 

2013 Bay of Fundy Marathon

 

Click here for an Article about the marathon and my work in the Bangor Daily News

 

Awards are coming along for the Bay of Fundy Marathon. I am giving my wrists a break for a week before tackling the next group of pieces which will be the most intricate and complex of the bunch. These are the tumblers that will be awarded to the teams in the 10k and marathon.

 

If you are traveling to Lubec during the marathon be sure to book your accommodations sooner rather than later. I know that as of this morning, Away Downeast still has a couple awesome and affordable cottage available.

 

For a more comprehensive list of B&B's and motels, etc, check out the VisitLubecMaine website.

 

If you still need help finding accommodations, contact the Bay of Fundy Marathon organizers for suggestions.

 

 

Thinking maybe I should change my blog title to "Food, Cats and Art." That seems to sum up most days here in our little nook in the far reaches of the country. The past couple weeks have been fulfilling on all fronts. Chris and I have our super busy times where we find ourselves on the road to various readings, exhibits, meetings, or family events, but other times we are able to find these stretches where retreating to our respective work spaces is unfettered by outside distractions.

 

I set aside one week to (almost) fully dedicate to the beginning stages of a new art project. Most weeks I am juggling a little bit of "this" and little bit of "that" but this week I wanted to be able to solidify some ideas. For an artist to have that time without outside distractions is worth the weight of any hefty item in gold.

 

I had been waiting for the right conditions to visit the ruins of an old factory site here in Lubec. On Friday I finally had the opportunity. I needed compliant weather, tide, and Chris. I had never been to the site before and was unsure how approachable it would be. It is not a safe space by any stretch with the massive deterioration but was in better condition than I had expected. I snapped over a hundred photos that have been filed and later this morning I will begin printing them to use as inspiration in both clay, conte, and encaustic.

 

I am excited by my level of excitement. When I got to the ruins close-up, I swear my heart skipped a beat. Something resonated with me so strongly on such a deep level. With some things in our lives, we don't always understand our reactions, but over time, clarity begins to come forth presenting the bigger picture. For me, with this site visit, I started to understand some of the images that had been emerging in my work over the past couple years. At the time of creating those works, or even recently seeing images in my mind but not being able to translate, this one afternoon allowed all kinds of connections to be realized. The images, understandings, and connections is only in the most infantile stage but at the precipice of unfolding in a most profound way. I can feel it.

 

It is amazing to look at these ruins and to know that this is not a war-torn village and that these walls and ceilings are not collapsed because of bombs. Merely, it is water, wind, and time that has eroded the structure. Such awesome power in the elements.

 

Looking at these ruins, even though used for a period of time and when no longer profitable abandoned and left succumb to the elements, there is beauty and reverence. The energy is still. In some ways, a ghostly still. But also, a reverent stillness. Pier stubs emerge from the sand like gravestones. Columns, broken, and slanted, lean against one another like Stonehenge dolmens. Slabs of concrete hang from steel rods exposing an opening in the ceiling that is a gateway to infinite sky. Every square foot guards a memory or story.

 

At the moment, my mind is buzzing with ideas. This part of the process takes a while for me to decipher. Images snap through mind's eye and it is an art in snagging the right one that can carry and artist through from conception to artwork. My cave is warming up now, waiting me to begin this journey.

Extremes

Link to: Cobscook Pottery's Facebook page.

Entrance to the Harlow Gallery, Hallowell, Maine

Occupy Art!
Current exhibit at the Harlow Gallery

Occupy Art!
Harlow Gallery wall plastered with artwork from various UMVA Draw-A-Thons over the past couple years.

Support structure (top component) built for my upcoming Lubec Landmarks exhibit.
Thanks to my Dad, whose woodworking skills are quite honed!
During our "Father-Daughter Woodshop Day", I learned a lot about the importance of strong support. I loved having another person to problem-solve with during the actual hands-on part of the project - which allowed for some nifty impromptu decisions.
(I must note that he didn't reach a comfort level where he would allow me to operate the dangerous power tools even though I was itching to, but being an observant assistant/apprentice I absorbed much insight for future projects.)

Takeout Friday night from Lucky Garden in Hallowell.
Chris and I both got the same fortune in our cookies.
Looks like a good sign to me!

"Life is like licking honey off a thorn"
-something Berri's Nana used to say...

This past week has been punctuated by extreme highs and lows. The extreme low presented the most painful and emotionally challenging week ever in my thirteen years of teaching. At the other end of the extreme, bursts of hope, beauty, and unexpected treasures surfaced. I know that life is like this, the bitter and the sweet, but to have the two juxtaposed from one hour to the next seems an anomaly. In one moment grief seemed overwhelming, the next, an understanding that life moves forward. To deny celebration and beauty even in the midst of loss would be to deny nature its gifts and lessons. We can be stuck in the pain, or we can let it move through us. I am truly thankful that the universe has been diligent in reminding me of this.

My current sculpture project about the factories that once were is more and more seeming a metaphor for a general sense of loss. It feels to me that Lubec, as a community, experiences a consistent stream of loss at a tragic level far more than any other place that I have lived. Again though, these losses are punctuated by extremes. In the two hundred year history of this town, over thirty factories provided stability and identity for the townspeople. By fire or planned destruction, the factories are now nothing more than a memory or a few dilapidated remnants.

Keeping with this tradition of letting go, people are the same. They filter in and out, from migrant workers to families that move from far reaches of the country only to soon relocate once again. Two years ago, the high school was shut-down, a huge loss for the kids and general community. It seems, as well, that more lives are lost to tragic circumstances than humanly conceivable.

Lubec's tiny population in a remote poverty-stricken area of the nation, in my opinion, experiences loss far too often. It might be some sort of cosmic alignment at play, or it could simply be that loss is a natural expectation of a community that depends on the powerful forces of nature for its livelihood. There are no cushy Wall Street vocations and nature's elements, though powerful and beautiful, can be cruel. There has been a high number of teens who have died in the past year, which is especially painful for a community to come to grips with.

Looking at Lubec's history, such unjustifiable and unexpected death is not new. In 1936, twelve students drown in Gardner Lake. I cannot even imagine how a community begins to heal after such a tragedy. Still, it is the constitution of the people here to somehow pick up the pieces and move forward. They are strong, resilient, and know hardships of everyday living. It would be too easy to crumble in the face of such adversity, and easy is not what makes a person stronger.

The high points this past week included joining my husband and other great Maine artists and poets at the opening reception for Occupy Art! at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell. The exhibit was a culmination of the dedication and hard work of artist organizers Natasha Mayers, Robert Shetterly, Kenny Cole, Nora Tyron, Code Pink activist Lisa Savage, and several Maine artists who participated in the UMVA Draw-A-Thons over the past two years.

The Draw-A-Thons began as a grassroots "Bring our War Dollars Home" initiative and continued to gain momentum after the governor's removal of the Maine Labor Mural and now as the Occupy Movement continues. As we can see with the current Harlow Gallery exhibit, artists are an empowering and articulate voice for justice, equality, and hope.

My husband Chris was one of the four poets who read at the opening reception last Friday. It was an uplifting evening that was much appreciated after the two previous grief-filled days.

Another highlight this past week was our dinner guest Jon Wing Lum, the filmmaker who created the Lubec Arts Alive documentary. As one of the first Asian American filmmakers, he opened the door for other Asians in the industry. He was a proponent of "catalytic cinema", working on projects to promote social change. The conversations this evening were incredibly interesting, swinging from stories about working with artists in New York such as DeKooning and Jasper Johns to experiences in the south during the civil rights movement. What I love most about Wing is his gentle spirit and humble character despite such amazing accomplishments. He is one of Lubec's gems for sure.

There were other little unexpected twists and turns including our hotel room. For the poetry reading event, we arrived late to town Thursday night weary from grief and travel to be told at the front desk that we were given a "slight upgrade". Having sought out the cheapest of the clean accommodations in the area with wifi access so that Chris could continue his online teaching work while we were away, we didn't fully grasp "slight upgrade" until we opened the second floor room door.

Did you know that some hotel rooms come with telephones by the toilet?

For a couple nights we jokingly lived the 1% lifestyle (albeit with takeout food and a strict budget) while rallying for the 99%. All by accident. Back to Lubec now - where the phone rests on its charger in a room off the kitchen, out-of-reach from the toilet.

Early Spring has Arrived!

I woke this morning to be greeted by beautiful floating puffs and blue sky.

Snow last week, early spring this week.
Hoping the latter is here to stay.

The spot where I spent my entire day yesterday...and some of the night!
I'm a very messy potter, as you can see.

Pieces trimmed and drying while first load is in the kiln, firing as I type.

Cat Labor
Bouli does her best earn her keep...though she seems to be taking a lot of naps while on the job.

Yes, I do think spring has arrived a bit early. We were walloped with a late season snow last week (enough to delay school two hours) then two days later the weather gods decided to tease us with sunny, warm days. It felt great to take a St. Patty's Day walk in the fresh air without having to "gear up" in mittens and hat. This morning I woke to a gorgeous blue-clouded sky and am in the mindset that I best get my studio work done early so that I may enjoy a mid afternoon jaunt.

The past week was full between meetings, teaching, and studio work. I got my grades for school done a few days earlier than normal and am glad to have that project marked off the list. Lubec Arts Alive committee met last week, too, and it is exciting to think about possible projects and the hum of summer activity. Lubec can be a "sleepy" sort of town in the winter, but like spring, is coming to life a bit earlier than normal. Already, cars from out-of-state are passing through our streets and that means that I should be thinking about opening the shop soon. There is lots to be done in prep for that but I am hopeful for a mid to late May opening, though may sneak in a few open hours here and there before that. I won't keep regular hours, though, until June. In the meantime, I am busy making wares for other venues.

I am super excited about my upcoming show in June. I am anxious to see the main installation piece come together but realize that this won't happen until May. Today, after about an hour of finishing up some pot trimming, I will do an extensive stretch of clay shingle production. I am also working out ideas in my mind for a series of work for the show - "collector's pieces" if you will, that somehow tie in with the main installation sculpture, but will be far more affordable and less time consuming than the 9 foot/200+ hour installation piece.

I will cut this blog short today- for the simple fact that I am itching to get into the studio and tackle the to-do list. It's a busy week ahead with four kiln firings, glazing marathons, teaching, visitors, and MFA work.

If in downeast Maine, don't forget to tune into ABC/WVII TV (channel 8 Warner Bros. / channel 7 Dish Satellite) on Sunday, March 25th, 3:00 p.m. The 2009 Lubec Arts Alive film, by Jon Wing Lum, will be airing. The film documents an amazing week of art-making here in Lubec when our town joined forces with the Union of Maine Visual Artists. The film includes interviews with Natasha Mayers, Robert Shetterly, Kenny Cole, Rose Marasco, Brown Lethem (to name a few!!!). And if here in Lubec (or nearby) Uncle Kippy's Restaurant will show the film on the big screen as it airs on TV, open to the public. (I am a narrator of sorts for the film.) If you are in the viewing area (Rockport to E. Millinocket /Oakland to Lubec) check it out! The film is about 36 minutes long, but will air in the 3:00-4:00 p.m. hour long slot.

For more info on the Lubec Arts Alive film, visit the Lubec Arts Alive blog site.

Into my cave I go....

Keep this date open
Saturday, June 2
My art opening at Lubec Landmarks. More info to follow.

Chris' Poetry
Student and Faculty Poetry Reading
UMM / Tuesday, March 20th / Power's Hall Art Gallery / 7:00 p.m.
Chris will be reading some of his works at this event.

Occupy Art / Art Opening and Poetry at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, Maine
Harlow Gallery, Hallowell, Maine
April 6th, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Poetry reading by Chris Crittenden, Lee Sharkey, Henry Braun, Mark Melnicove
Please Note: THIS EVENT IS HAPPENING AS SCHEDULED

http://www.harlowgallery.org/wordpress1/?p=4944

Calias Bookstore Poetry Reading: Chris Crittenden
Tentatively set for Monday, April 16th. I'll keep you informed!

Full Swing in the Cave

Sculpture in progress

Production work has begun after a six week hiatus.

Bouli is my sidekick when I am working in the pottery cave.

When not asleep in the pottery cave, Bouli is a handful on the main floor: climbing, jumping, exploring, and breaking things!!! This past week I had to tape all the kitchen cupboards shut.

Things are humming along here. It's a good thing, too. I might have gotten used to that leisurely pace of only teaching and MFA work to contend with. I went back into the "cave" for pottery production a couple days ago and am starting to ready for the season ahead. I have some fairly hefty goals and want to be prepared so that I don't feel the usual "running around like a chicken with my head cut off" for opening of the shop.

The house is kind of upside-down right now. There is a slew of paperwork strewn atop the tables as I analyze previous business decisions and set intentions for the next year or so. The "cave", which was cleaned better than it had been in two years, is now splattered with slip muck and tools while mounds of plaster-infused clay that had been used for mold-making covets nearly every inch of workspace. Greenware pots are lining the shelves and sculpture is scattered here or there drying and waiting for the next step.

The living room has been turned into weaving central with skeins of lushly-dyed yarn calling to the warp. A tapestry in the beginning stages is tempting me away from some of my other chores. I know that I should first take care of the most urgently deadlined work, but on a winter's day it is hard to say no to the warmth of a nearby stove and view of swirling snow outside the window.

January and February used to be my "down time". Living in Lubec in winter the first seven or eight years could been likened to hibernation of an entire town. Everything was shut-down by 6:00 and nary a soul was to be found on the streets. The town has been experiencing a renaissance the past couple years and now there is always something happening between music, theater, and the arts in general. The new restaurants have bravely kept their doors open for winter folk, and for that the town is appreciative. It astounds me that I now have to, here in little Lubec, Maine, set aside specific time (as I did last weekend) to cut myself off from the hubbub. I think most artists understand me when I say that time alone, with your own thoughts, is crucial to manifesting artistic ideas.

Winter, the kind with snow, finally began here on Friday. It was short-lived though. I shoveled steps, decks, ramps, and pathways blanketed by six inches of heavy white stuff until my arm muscles turned wobbly. My mittens were stuck frozen to the shovel, and despite the frigid temps, my head under hat was laden with sweat. I felt like I had just finished an exhaustive hour-long gym workout. But like I said, the gorgeous winter snow was short-lived. Rain soon swept in and reduced the mass to about an inch or so of undulating ice. I have yet to try the car on the long downhill rink we call the driveway. A walk to the mailbox yesterday revealed coyote tracks, emerging from the woods into our drive and across the road. Bello, my feline walking companion, curiously sniffed the tracks, looking about with caution. I suspect that the coyote had walked as we did only a short time previous.

I love Sundays. I love how the world slows down just a bit, for just a while. I am going to step away from the computer and the chores and head into the cave, which has become the warmest space in the house since the new insulation was installed. Bouli will no doubt rest nearby, my guardian cat. Bello will occasionally saunter in, mewing and asking to go outside, perhaps to explore, but most likely to take respite from Bouli, who can't seem to leave him be for long.

I am grateful for my life. Grateful to be an artist. Grateful to view the world through artist eyes.

A New Semester Begins at Heartwood College of Art

Below is a recent piece that I finished, a three dimensional model for an installation
about military recruitment.

Let's Make a Deal
Shanna Wheelock, 2011
3D model for installation, 36" x 24" x 12"
Wood, ceramic, fabric, paper, acrylic paint, found object

Let's Make a Deal

(front side, view from top)

Let's Make a Deal: Curtain #1

Let's Make a Deal: Curtain #2

Let's Make a Deal: Curtain #3

Let's Make a Deal
(backside, view from top)

This week marks the beginning of my fifth semester in the Heartwood College of Art MFA program. I have spent the past couple weeks working out some new ideas and soon I will be able to step into the studio to begin the physical manifestation of my visualizations. It's kinda funny how the process works. Two weeks ago I felt solid about my plan, but then my mentors chimed in with their thoughts and it gets me to rethinking everything. Ultimately, the decision becomes my own, but there's just enough of a curve ball to make me doubt, then eventually come to a space where I once again feel comfortable with my (sometimes altered) direction. The thing about direction, though, is that it can change in a flash. Sometimes we choose this way or that, and sometimes we are veered by another force. Much of life is a combination of both.

Joining the program at Heartwood has had profound effects on my thinking and actions as an artist, teacher, and human being. A program such as this is NOT your typical educational experience where you step into a classroom, listen to a lecture, take notes, then recall facts for an exam. It is unfortunate that much of education is that way. Instead, with the MFA program at Heartwood, we are forced to think and create our own path. We have mentors who guide us in the process, who provide an immense amount of feedback, and offer an objective eye. It's easy, as the artist, to be too attached to your work and idea that you can forget that other eyes see and interpret your work in different ways. Art is, after all, a powerful form of communication, and we all know how lines of communication can get tangled!

So, I am beginning a new semester and am eager to jump into the materials. I have two spaces in which I do most of my creating - one being the dark 'neath earth dingy, clay-dust clad cave where I sit at the wheel or sculpt with clay. The other space, in much contrast, is part of my home - a favorite nook with a futon where I can get warm and cozy while I sketch, research, and write. I hop between the various spaces depending on which part of the process is on tap for the moment. The past few days I have spent time reorganizing my spaces, clearing out the supply closet, and taking inventory, all the while allowing the art images to flow through my mind. I have a couple of sculptural goals this spring, one being to create an installation piece for an upcoming show in June, and the other to work with a specific color. Color. Such a simple concept, right? Well, color is what I would consider one of my personal areas of struggle. I am very much comfortable with form, which makes sense since I am a sculptor. It will be interesting to see the path my work takes this semester. It's always a surprise for me. No matter how attached I feel to a plan, inevitably, things change along the way.

I will still continue to hone my skills as a juggler in the circus of life. Yep. Multitasking at its finest. I am bumping up production with my pottery and setting new goals, balancing my sculptor and potter self with my teacher self, all the while continuing to teach art in public school.

One of the major pluses about the MFA program at Heartwood is that it is both part-time and low residency. It's not an online course even though I use email for some correspondence between campus meetings. Rather, it is a program where we meet on campus twice a semester for intensive seminar weekends and presentation critiques. The schedule was specifically created for people just like me, who might be teaching or working some other job. Luckily most students in my pod are teachers and we not only support each other in our teaching roles, but we work on a similar timeline. It's perfect for the self-motivated working artist who needs flexibility in scheduling. Two courses a semester is half a full time MFA program so it takes a bit longer to get my MFA, but I couldn't imagine trying to handle a full time program on top of my other work commitments.

Speaking of commitments, I am continuing my work with Lubec Arts Alive and we are getting ready to begin planning for this next summer's event. Some of our committee members (well, more than half!) are in other locations for the winter months so it will be a gentle re-entry into community planning mode until everyone is back in town and on board. Time to get the binder organized and go over last years event to see what goals should be set for future, and check in on the financials. I love community organizing - but absolutely hate fundraising. Luckily - our community has been very generous with supporting artistic endeavors - both financially and with volunteering. Thank you!!!!!

It's a quiet Sunday morning so far. Mom has been visiting us here downeast. We've enjoyed a relaxed schedule and time to talk. Meals have been a notch above the typical food prep in our kitchen, and that has been quite enjoyable. (see pic below). Today she heads back home to central Maine - where life moves at a different pace with lots of traffic, strip malls, hordes of people, and appointments. Winter in Lubec is a whole different experience. Hopefully she heads home feeling well-rested and rejuvenated. Me, I'll snuggle into that futon for a reading and sketch session then head down into my cave to see what kind of earthly mess I can get myself into.

Link to Cobscook Pottery on Facebook - become a fan!

link to: Bouli's Fan Page on Facebook

Many years off and on as a vegetarian I have succumbed to culinary pleasures recently that include four legged, winged, and finned beings. The guilt was particularly piqued two nights ago when talking to the little lobster before she met her unfortunate demise. While I felt a certain degree of guilt before, during, and after consuming the sweet crustacean, Bouli did not exhibit one iota of remorse. Turns out she quite enjoys lobster and makes no apologies for it.

And - for you poetry buffs out there..some links about my husband's writing.....

link to Bangor Daily article
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/01/03/living/lubec-poet-wins-national-competition/

link to chapbook:
http://themedullareview.com/Chris_Crittenden_Chap.html

Lastly, a link to an interview with Chris that was recorded and archived last summer by Jane Crown's Poetry Radio. Ecellent interview. takes about 15-20 minute before the conversation gets rolling with some excellent poetically philosophical banter...it's an hour long....but well worth the listen.
http://www.janecrown.com/show_download_page.html

Behold 2012: A New Year Begins!

I recently finished this low-relief "model" - which turned out to have a completely different feel from the original sketch. I am still working out the kinks for an upcoming exhibit.

Chris has been hard at work in the pottery cave adding insulation to the ceiling. My studio is in complete disarray - but soon - I will be potting and sculpting in a much warmer space! This should make our energy usage much more efficient too - which is a definite positive!!!! The studio is getting a thorough cleaning as well - which my lungs will very much appreciate. I'm focusing on a healthy work environment for 2012.

New Years Eve I began a new tapestry. I haven't done any weaving since last May when I finished my "Grass for Sarah" piece. This tapestry will have a similar feel but on a much smaller scale. Ideas have been on hold for so long. It feels good to be weaving again!

I didn't manage to stay awake long enough to see the New Year begin. When younger, I would have stayed up well past midnight with loads of energy to boot. Chris and I have traditionally enjoyed a quiet evening at home, but this year we had made plans for a guest. Her long drive was deterred by messy early-day weather and as it turned out, Chris and I celebrated alone in our own unique way. It was an opportunity for some "free" time that we had not planned on. We had been working steadily the past few days on house projects and business tax prep. Sure, there are always lots of things that need to be done, but we saw last night as a window to do something "off-list." What did we do? Chris wrote and I began a tapestry. We were so into our projects that the pre-planned salmon dinner was sidelined for a quick take-out pizza. I wove for a good six hours straight before my eyes began to get droopy. It was evident by 10:00 p.m. that I would not see the New Year in, but it was a wonderful end to 2011 - to be entranced by the magic of colorful fine spun wools. The evening was peaceful and perfectly simple.

Looking back over the past year there were many accomplishments and high points. There were challenges as well, but they, fortunately, seem a bit more blurred at this point. In 2011, I was blessed....blessed to be an artist, to study for my MFA with an incredible pod and mentors, and to work on community art. I had the fate of 25,000 honey bees in my hands, was published in a major magazine, found my protester voice again, and learned that (contrary to past belief) that I love the rituals associated with production pottery. In 2011, Bouli joined our family and brought with her a lot of love and laughter, and our extended human family grew as well. The garden was better than last year, and the ones I love are all in relatively good health. Chris has had multiple successes with his writing and has found his groove within the academic world of online ethics. Our partnership is strong, supportive, spiritual, and creatively rich. The year ended on a good note, and we have much to look forward to in 2012.

The world itself has seen major upheaval and destruction in the past months, from nuclear disaster, to corrupt politics, to the oppression of many and the earth we share. As we move forward and celebrate all that is good, it is important that we keep compassion at the forefront of decisions. Chris and I will do our part to move toward justice and healing through our art and writing, but will also savor all the gifts and blessings that we have been fortunate enough to be granted. We are sincerely grateful to all who have helped us along our path. We know that our personal happiness and success has been greatly enhanced by the kindness and generosity of others.

I have goals for 2012, but I don't make an official "resolutions" list. Most of the resolutions that people make are probably things that they would or should normally be doing on a day to day basis anyway. The passion to follow-through ebbs and flows day to day but the drive to do better, or to be a better person, are qualities that should know no calendar boundaries. This first day of 2012 will be much like any other day of my life: a few chores, time for art, good food and company. Counting my blessings.

Happy New Year to all! I hope that today is a peaceful and content segue into the next chapter of your lives, and that you embrace hope and promise for a healthy and pleasurable existence, steeped in kindness, compassion, equality, and joyfulness.

Sliding in the Holidays

Interior support structure for "American Dream" sculpture.

My messy studio with a nest of tables for various projects that were in progress.

Chris at the International Gingerbread Competition....appearing very serious with his judge's clipboard.

It's a lazy Sunday morning for me. A strange feeling indeed. I have been working nonstop for the past few months whilst juggling teaching, pottery production, and MFA work. I now have a small (very small!) window of time for holiday prep and festivical (yes, I made that word up) enjoyment. MFA presentations occurred last weekend, Christmas break is upon us, and pottery production just ended for 2011 as of Friday evening. This morning I did not hurry to rise from bed and am taking refuge in a small toasty warm room, still garmented in PJ's, to write my long overdue blog posting.

The past few weeks were the big push to finish up three sculptural projects. I finally finished them last week only to realize that none of them are 100% done. Maybe it's like this most artists? Even when nearing the finish line, I think of things that I would have done differently, or an addendum that could enhance the meaning of the piece. Conceptually, these projects were forming long ago, months in advance. The hands are usually happy to take over and start forming what is only a vision in mind's eye. This was perhaps the most challenging MFA semester for me so far in that my visual kept changing throughout the project. I would feel certain at one point about a specific color or composition, only to find my hands defying the mind when picking up a brush or tool. I literally changed direction several times without consciously planning to do so. Parr for the course I suppose. But it is wild that in a course of a few minutes, despite a months'-long plan to do something a certain way, changes in a flash without preconceived notion. And, more amazingly, I felt at peace with the final result despite the lack of brooding of commitment to a decision.

So, I have three unfinished "finished" sculptures in my studio waiting for the next steps. For now though, a couple weeks of resting the mind so that I can focus on time with family and friends.

Chris and I have been enjoying holiday celebrations and traditions. We had a blast as judges for the International Gingerbread Competition. (sounds hoity toity, doesn't it?!) The annual newsletter has been typed and is making its way into cards long overdue in mailing. Friday night we watched with joy the students at school perform in "Midsummer Nights' Dream", and before I left school on Thursday afternoon, I set-up the art room for this coming Monday's Craft Day where kids will make candy cane reindeer and greeting cards. Today I continue with greeting cards (much later than usual!!!) and loading the kiln for the final pottery production of 2011. The house has been cleaned a bit deeper than usual, and soon traditional confections will be baked. A trip to the market is planned in the next couple days to purchase items for the German dish Rouladen, a most delicious recipe that I stole from childhood dinners with the Raymond family.

All is well at the Wheelock/Crittenden homestead. We are hoping for some snow but won't hold our breath. Enjoying the darkness but looking forward to Solstice with the returning light.

It is time for me to formally "wake-up", shower, open the shop, and get on with holiday prep.

I am signing off for the remainder of 2011 with a wish for everyone to enjoy a safe and joyous holiday season (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Christmas, New Year!!!!).

Blessings for Peace.
A short song to inspire people of all backgrounds to find common ground this holiday season.

Glaze Tests, Studio Tours, and Phishing

New set of short Tumblers in a Mossy Forest glaze.

Bouli-quake strikes Lubec....
I rarely am able to set-up the factory piece in my studio since Bouli assumes that everything in her sight is a toy for her. I only left the sculpture unattended for less than a minute - returned to find the paper dolls all a muss.

Chris spooning blanched green beans into pint-size canning jars.

Green beans placed in the canning pot.

What a week. First off, according to a phishing scam email, I was stranded in Spain after having my purse stolen and needed friends to send me money. My email address contact list was hacked-into and "stolen" rendering me unable to email everyone to let them know that this just was not so. I am hoping that everyone who received the email knows that such letters written in a stilted voice asking for money to be wired to far off places is bogus. Chris and I fielded well over a hundred emails and more than a dozen phone calls from friends and family. We appreciated the concern and hope that it never happens again. This is a lesson that even those who think they are wise to such schemes that it can happen to anyone. The internet opens doors for all kinds of trickery.

The Spain scam was a blip in an otherwise tightly orchestrated schedule. In preparation for this past weekend's art studio tour, several kiln firings were planned, as well as cleaning, arranging, tagging and deliveries. The Two Countries One Bay Art Studio Tour is always a joy for me. More-than-usual folks saunter through my space. On a typical day when the shop is open, visitors rarely get to peek at my private studio space. On tour day, however, sculptures are set-out and the space is a bit more "organized". This was an especially fun tour year, having met some incredibly unique and fun people: hippie potters, Harley bikers, cat enthusiasts, cross-country travelers, and weavers. Perhaps the most interesting "act" was the young couple who are circus performers. It isn't often that you ask someone about their job and they reply "trapeze artist". Anyway - I appreciate all the people who took the time to visit my little space in this far-off nook at the edge of the country. It truly was a joy!

I felt like a milestone had been reached this past week, too. After a couple months of kiln woes, two glaze test fires were completed and all seems to be back on the right track again. (knock on wood!) Colors are more gorgeous than ever and hopefully consistency will be the norm. I tried out new glaze motifs and after a bit of experimentation I found some keepers. The shop has been re-stocked and now the pottery goal has been set to prepare for the next event which is vending a big craft show November 11-12 at the Augusta Civic Center, followed the next weekend by my annual holiday pottery sale here in Lubec. I am really looking forward to the Augusta showing and seeing some familiar faces from my old stomping grounds. There is lots of work to be done before then and it is crucial that I keep focused on the goals since I am juggling not only my newly enhanced role as potter but also my teaching and my MFA coursework.

With the start of the new semester in the Heartwood College of Art MFA program, I began a new sculpture last week, and after this blog post, will return to working on it. The idea is full of complexities and I keep reminding myself to narrow down the visuals to only what is essential. The thinking time on this piece has far outweighed the physical work thus far, but it seems now that the "goal" is more solid that the actual studio time will be more efficient. This piece has become additionally interesting for me since I made the realization that the symbolisms I chose are a reflection of something much more personal and close-to-home than the original surface idea. The creative process is an interesting one - especially when the subconscious or intuitive self starts to take over. I will post pics of the piece on this blog as the work progresses and expect completion of this first phase of the project to be in December.

We have been enjoying the garden's bounty. It is an unruly patch of vegetation but seems to be producing some things in quantity enough to elicit canning. Last weekend we canned fresh pasta sauce, and yesterday we canned the green beans. Today I hope to find time to begin a batch of salsa, and late this week Chris will make the last huge batch of pesto for freezing. Apple sauce prep begins next week, too. With recent frost warnings, I have plucked as many goodies as possible from the garden. I think here on the coast we have skirted what other parts of Maine have endured in the way of extreme cold night temps. With only a couple days until Mabon, summer is saying her goodbyes. I am still hoping for gorgeous warm days as we head toward Autumn, but secretly (or not so anymore!) look forward to the first snow and early dark.

It is time to tend to the cats' morning feed and to get the studio prepped for a day's work. I will open the shop soon but expect much less fanfare than the last two days previous. The quiet will be good for thinking time.

I hope everyone enjoys a beautiful first-days-of-autumn week!

Making A Production Out of It

The weather in Lubec has been

gorgeous these past couple days with blue skies and lots of warmth.

Perfect for quick-drying pots outside!

(Honey pots, boulibase bowls, and tumblers)

Honey Pots ready to be trimmed and fired.

Me working on a vase.

I admit it, I am lacking any sense of fashion with those pink wool socks and yoga pants.

No, that's not grey hair.

It's clay.

I uploaded photos nearly two weeks ago and intended to blog, but time just got away from me. I have been in heavy production for the past month in preparation for the Machias Blueberry Festival next weekend, but ran into some snags when I started the rounds of glaze firing. Last Wednesday morning the cone 6 glaze firing was on it's 15th hour of firing, far too slow, and clocking in at 3:30 a.m. With less than 100 degrees to go before completion, the kiln had an Err1. This happened during the last firing that I did back in June, too, but I was able to restart the kiln and finish the firing. I thought it was a fluke. This time, I attempted to restart four times over and after 24 hours of monitoring the kiln, I realized that it just wasn't going to happen.



That morning, between the kiln and other events, I was on the phone ten times. The next day, almost as many. Problem-solving mode kicked into high gear. New elements were on their way UPS but did not arrive on Friday as expected. Mind you, I had a firing schedule lined up that included two bisque fires and four glaze within one week: a strenuous schedule to begin with. I did receive one relay in the mail, but after speaking with Skutt tech support, one technician said it was not the elements, but the relays (he thought). Of course, the second technician said it was the elements. Had to be. I had one relay from Portland Pottery, but Skutt said I needed to replace all three. (Head spinning, three people, three different solutions). So, elements arrive tomorrow, and by Tuesday I will have the additional two relays in hand - and Chris and I will repair the kiln. In my twenty plus years of potting, I have never done this. Baptism by fire, so to say.



Once the parts are replaced, an empty firing will have to be done to "season the elements". Each firing cycle is about 24 hours (or should be!) between the firing and the cooling. So, after loading parts, will do the empty firing then two glaze loads, which takes me up to Friday when all must be packed and ready to ship. On the bright side, I will have plenty of pottery ready and waiting to be fired for the Two Countries One Bay Artist Studio Tour in September.



I had been right out straight nonstop glazing and throwing the final pieces. When the kiln issue popped up, it changed the itinerary quite a bit. I did a bit more throwing and was able to do a bisque load yesterday since there is no problem getting to cone 04. The kiln even fired in a reasonable time frame.



Yesterday I built a display unit for the festival. It was the christening of my new jigsaw, and I must say, the unit came out pretty good! I got the idea from my artist friend Becky of Dirt Girl Pottery who has been vending her wares for years. I needed a display that could be easily transported and fold up to fit in our tiny economy car. It will probably end up on the roof rack along with the tent, but most importantly, it is something that I can easily lift and assemble myself if need be.



Much of the past two weeks is a blur at this point. I woke this morning at at 3:00 a.m. and am trying to get organized and prepare for the week ahead. Chris and I did enjoy a beautiful meal at our friend Barbara's home a few nights ago. I have complete garden envy. I have been thinking how grand our garden is doing this year, then I saw Barbara's. Wow! We now have something to aspire to. Though, we don;t foresee ourselves launching into the floral/perennial planting - maintenance looks beyond our time restraints. But, we did get some new ideas for the veggies next year. Farmers Shanna and Chris have quite a ways to go!



Bouli and Bello are managing to cohabit with a modicum of civility. Bello still has his limits to how much he will allow his tail to be chased and bit before he growls, but he is making progress toward reclaiming his space and authority. Bouli. Well, she just is the same ol' Bouli. Cute as button and free-spirited. About five pounds now, too!



I think I will get-in an early shower and unload the kiln. I was a bit daring this last load. I three a few pieces, sundried them, and bisque-fired same day. I am curious (hoping!) that the wares made it through safely.



Everyone put out some good vibes for me, if you will, that we get that kiln up and running in good order and that the glaze firings go through beautifully. Much appreciated!

Back to Routines at the Homestead

Pomegrenade
Ceramic, encaustic, acrylic. metal, wood
Shanna Wheelock, 2011
(photograph by Leslie Bowman)

The American Craft magazine article about my work should be on newstands soon!
(August/September 2011 issue)
to preview the article go to:
"Remote Revival"

Playing around with encaustics the past couple days, I decided to make another pomegranate.
The smooth texture and color is luscious!

This sci-fi looking contraption by John McMurray is a vent!

Honey Pot
(not yet trimmed or fired, fresh off the wheel!)

Big bowl drying on a bat affixed to the wheel.
It's a workout for my arms to center such a big lump of clay.

Bello LOVES garden time.

Bello guarding the bean pole beans.

Bouli playing inside the factory sculpture.
I had been wondering why all the furniture was tipped-over on floors one and three.
Now I know.

It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Lubec. The sun is shining, birds singing, sky blue, temps warm. I rose early the past two days and accomplished throwing tasks well before noon, and that left me with time to play with wax and do a few "chores" for the shop. It feels good to have a somewhat uninterrupted week ahead to get things done. Production has been a bit behind this summer for various reasons: bees, globe sculpture, travel, but overall, summer has been productive and pleasurable. I am going to put a request in to the weather goddess for an extension - maybe an extra month or two of summer if that could be arranged? Please and thank you.

The shop is looking a bit sparse of late, but that translates as good because it means that I have had good sales. I've been throwing lots of new work but the drying time is slow: up to three weeks. I finally managed a bisque fire on Thursday and am at this moment firing a second load. I plan to glaze mid week and am looking forward to restocking shelves next weekend. Inspired by the bees, I have begun to make honey pots. The final shape is an unknown until they are trimmed, but so far, I like them. The little lids are adorable!

The past few days entailed a routine of early waking (about 4:oo or 5:00 a.m.), pottery production in "the cave", then time tending to the shop, office details, and encaustic painting. We've enjoyed the company of friends from Cape Breton and Blue Hill. Also, John McMurray, our Lubec Arts Alive sculpture expert who also is quite the engineer, stopped by with a cool new sci-fi looking contraption that will act as a vent for the pottery studio. Air quality will be much better for our lungs! Thanks, John!

All else is going well on the homefront. Bouli is growing and becoming quite demanding. Yes, she seems to rule the roost here. Bello is making slow progress toward reclaiming his space on the feline totem pole but prefers to send most of his time with the beanpoles in the garden. Compared to last summer, the garden looks fantastic! I hear other folks in more southernly areas brag about their bounty of fresh tomatoes and squash, but we have only had a few peas, three cherry tomatoes, swiss chard, and herbs to pluck. Lubec climate is a bit cooler and this is probably why things are behind. I am hoping we can harvest plenty for canning and dehydrating before snow hits!!!! All else fails, we always have the apple trees.

I have a full schedule planned for this week - appointments, shop, production, and supply ordering. I can't believe that it is already August. The Machias Wild Blueberry Festival is in three weeks and I am going to try my hand at vending once again. It's been years. The time leading up to the festival will be nonstop busy in the studio, as well as the time following. Soon I will be back to teaching and taking classes at Heartwood. Each month through November has pottery events slated. Reality is sinking in...I best finish-up this blog and get to work!